After success at Duke Street Market, Lola gets a new spot on Smithdown
Big Lola’s has been a Duke Street Food & Drink Market favourite for nearly a year now, but guess what? They’ve only gone and bagged their very own taco shop and takeaway in South Liverpool.
We’ve already worked alongside Picnic, Midnight Delivery, Little Furnace, the guys from Belzan, and Fritto.
“We decided that Smithdown Road needed a good little taco shop so we’ve opened up Big Lola’s here,” says Joe Earnshaw, co-founder of Big Lola’s with Michael Harrison and Oli Smith.
The lads behind Lola's are also the founders of Cuban street food concept, FINCA, which had a run of pop-ups in Liverpool and Manchester before securing its first permanent residency at Duke Street Market. The name might have changed to Cahita (legal stuff, apparently) but it’s still banging out those signature Cuban sandwiches six days a week.
With their first permanent eatery in Smithdown, Joe says they’ve ended up back among some familiar faces.
“We’ve already worked alongside Picnic, Midnight Delivery, Little Furnace, the guys from Belzan, and Fritto,” says Joe.
“There’s such a nice community here. We’ve all been in the markets together and doing the pop-ups and things like that, and then everyone’s got their own little place now which is really good.”
Open from today (Wednesday 17 August) Big Lola’s Smithdown is going for a laid back taqueria vibe inspired by the Mission district of San Francisco. The menu features favourites from Duke Street as well as some new food additions, with a range of soft drinks and alcoholic bevs on offer.
“We’ve got more tacos on here, we’ve added the fish taco and vegan mushroom one,” says Joe. “They’ll be changing as well. We’re going to try and keep putting different specials on.
"We’ve also got a few different options for the quesadillas. We’ve got the ancho brisket which has been going down really well, and the three cheese and spring onion. Then a few different sides with the chips and guac, fries, cauli wings, and the chipotle honey butter chicken wings, which we do in Duke Street.”
As well as options for eat-in, takeaway and delivery (Uber Eats launches next week) Big Lola’s has also teamed up with Handyman Pub down the road to offer a click and collect service - perfect for enjoying some tasty tacos with your pint.
Joe says, “We’ve been looking for something on Smithdown for a while, we love the community, the mix of people. It’s nice to be a little bit out of the city centre as well.
“We’ve loved it so far here, someone’s come down today bringing us a print they’ve done of the shop,” says Joe. “It's such a nice community vibe. So, we’re really happy.”
Taco the town? A third branch of Big Lola’s is opening at the new Chester Market this autumn. Watch this space…
493 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 5AE
Duke Street Market, 46 Duke St, Liverpool L1 5AS
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